The Backpack ProgramHelping at risk food insecure kids get week end mealsFoFC, The Backpack Program is a 501(c)(3)non-profit charitable organizations Tax ID: 20-2684275 November, 2018Dear Community Partner,The Backpack Program (TBP) is in its second full year - a collaboration between the Merrimack Valley School District (MVSD) that provides school-district input, the Friends Program Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) that provides volunteers to make the program work and Friends of Forgotten Children (FoFC) that provides a volunteer to handle our finances, and most importantly, a place to store our food and fill Backpacks.

While most students from low-income families can count on regular meals through the school district’s free and reduced-price meals program, many of these children go home on Friday afternoon and will eat little again until breakfast at school on Monday morning. It has been documented that weekend nourishment improves school performance. The need is on-going with approximately 43% of the students in the district being food-insecure. We continue to help meet that need on weekends by sending home a backpack filled with healthy food - three suppers, two breakfasts, two lunches, fruits, a vegetable and two snacks, keeping in mind to limit sugar and include a protein and calcium.Last year 30 children were identified at Penacook Elementary School and had parental permission to participate in this important program. We have recently expanded to include 44 more students in the Boscawen and Salisbury elementary schools, bringing our total to 74. Our goal is to be able to include the rest of the schools in the MVSD in the near future.With the food-purchasing connections of the MVSD Food Service and FoFC at the NH Food Bank, we are able to buy many of the needed food items at a greatly reduced cost. Even with that, with the growth of the program the monthly cost has grown to about $1500.As a part of the Greater Merrimack Valley Community you have the opportunity to become a Backpack Program sponsor and make a difference in a child’s life. Donation Form:$25 will support one child for one month $50 will support one child for two months$125 will support one child for five months $250 will support one child for an entire school year $365 will support all 74 children for one week $730 will support all 74 children for two weeks $1,460 will support all 74 children for one month The Backpack Program’s goal is to have the necessary funds to sustain the program and extend it to Webster and Loudon Elementary Schools as we can. Mail Your Gift Today: (print this donation form now)

Your Name:_____________________ Company:__________________Address:__________________City: __________State:____Zip:_______Best email address: __________________________________________Enclosed is my Check in the amount of $ ____.___Supporting as a Sustaining Sponsor in the amount of $ per month. $ ___.___Enclosed is our Corporate Check in the amount of $ ____.___Supporting as a Corporate Sponsor in the amount of $ per month. $ ___.___Please make your check payable to “FoFC” with “The Backpack Program” in the memo line and remit to: The Backpack Program, 224 Bog Road, Concord, NH 03303.